WINTER MEETING. 257 



THE PROGRESS OF HORTICULTURE. 



S. MILLER, BLUFFTON. 



There are here some who, like myself, can well remember the time when the 

 growing of fruit and the pursuit of horticulture received but a tithe of the atten- 

 tion that is given the subject in our day. 



Then the ordinary farmer planted an apple orchard for his own use — as a rule, 

 perhaps some seedling peach-trees, and if in advance of his neighbors a few pear, 

 plum and cherry-trees. If any grapes, they were the wild Fox grape of our for- 

 ests, or the old Alexander variety. 



Foreign fruits in their fresh state were seldom met with. Strawberries only 

 such as could be found in the fence-corners of the fields and meadows. Raspber- 

 ries, I know of only one variety cultivated in gardens— the old Purple Cane— a good 

 redo.ie, but long since displaced by superior ones. 



To cultivate a blackberry was an unknown thing. Currants were more com- 

 mon, and I saw and helped gather such crops of Red Dutch'currants 60 years ago 

 that nothing since then has surpassed them in my observation. They were grown 

 on the north side of a picket fence. 



It is needless to follow up the progress in our line, but we will pass over our 

 time of three-score years, and look at the condition of these affairs in 1893. 



Now, instead of a few wild strawberries no larger than a small thimble, we 

 know of stations on our railroads where train loads are drawn out from, and the 

 cities & thousand miles north are supplied with them at a time that the ground there 

 is frozen and covered with snow. Varieties without number, some as large as any 

 one would desire them, and of excellent quality. 



Raspberries follow, and next the blackberries — the latter two not so exten- 

 sively as the strawberry. 



Peachea.and pears are planted by the hundreds and thousands of acres, and 

 have been so arranged in ripening that thefor(uer can be had fresh for six months, 

 and pears nearly the whole year. 



Of apples the commerciil orchards are legion, and some of them so large that 

 it would tire a well man to walk around them. 



Grapes are in variety, nearly up to some of the other fruits, and can be had 

 fresh for a number of months. Such is the range of latitude, diversity of soil and 

 situation, that a signal failure is almost impossible, and when failing in one sec- 

 tion of the country, there will be an abundance in others. 



Just at this time we have an example of it, as nearly all our fruits have been 

 a failure, yet one can buy fresh grapes in every little town at a price that will 

 hardly pay for the raising of them . 



This happens simply because the growers in New York and Ohio plant too 

 extensively for their own good in a financial way. 



But it is a blessing to others that the planting of apple orchards is being over- 

 done, as many fear we will find out in the future. 



Evaporating for exportation will be one way, and every person to have plenty 

 of good, stveet cider in their cellars to drink will be another outlet, it may lessen 

 the drinking of beer and other beverages that do more harm than good. 



H— 17 



